WATCH: Researcher captures elusive Yowie on camera

by jgould

Joel Gould
Journalist
Joel is a journalist with 20 years of experience and since February, 2011 he has been the late reporter at The Queensland Times. Joel specialises in longer features and as the late reporter he chases all the breaking stories that unfold in the evenings. A die hard rugby league fan, Joel has been pushing hard for the Western Corridor bid to be admitted into the NRL.

HE WAS filming a large flock of cockatoos but ended up capturing on camera the Ipswich Yowie.

That is the claim of dedicated Tivoli-based yowie researcher Paul McLeod after releasing footage of what he has called "one upright, very tall figure moving tree branches around, possibly feeding".

The figure also appears to be hairy, as is the case with most yowies.

"I'm fairly certain I captured the Ipswich Yowie on film," a jubilant Mr McLeod said on the Yowiehunters Forum.

Mr McLeod posted his findings and video on the Yowiehunters Forum under his own name and on You Tube, under the monikor of 'Global Monster', where he explained how on Wednesday, February 1 just before dusk he was filming the cockatoos when he "just happened to pan into the scrub".

"I noticed movement in the scrub some 400m away via the zoom lens. I stopped filming and re-adjusted the focus onto the area and filmed," he wrote.

"The distance (along with no tripod) made the zoom very shaky but I reckon I got at least one upright, very tall figure moving tree branches around, possibly feeding."

The QT has viewed the footage and while it is not definitive, we could go along with the commenters on Mr McLeod's video and agree it is "interesting stuff".

Screenshots from a video of an alleged Yowie sighting in Ipswich.Contributed

Leading Australian yowie researcher Dean Harrison has previously told the QT that Ipswich is noted by experts as a "yowie hot spot".

That is why the city has been a magnet for yowie researchers.

Mr McLeod is one of them and has been based in a caravan in Tivoli for the last month where he is attempting to unveil more about the movements of the elusive, apelike mystery beast.

"I moved to Tivoli near Ipswich...based on two years research tracking yowie sightings and looking for a migration pattern, based on seasonal food availability and other possible contributors," he said.

Mr McLeod has been asked by others exactly where the yowie was located. His answers suggest he is keeping his cards close to his chest, but are suggestive of a Tivoli location.

The Yowie remains an elusive creature in the Ipswich region. Illustration: Bill RasmussenContributed

"Nice one," the contributor writes.

"This will be the year of loads of sightings. I can feel it."

The Mulgowie Yowie is the most famous local yowie, and according to the local cook who last saw the creature also has a bald bottom like a baboon.

But that is not to disparage or steal the thunder of the yowies sighted at Flinders View, Redbank and in the Rosewood area.

The QT is sad to say that the Flinders View yowie is most likely deceased, having last been sighted in 1992.

But if Mr McLeod is on the money the Ipswich Yowie is very much alive.